Saturday, September 26, 2009

Louisville Clinches!

Games of Saturday, Sept. 25, 1909

At Eclipse Park, LouisvilleLouisville Colonels.....4Kansas City Blues....2Jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning set the Colonels up for the most important victory in the history of their American Association franchise. Jake Thielman held the Blues scoreless until the sixth, making it a one-run game. In the Louisville eighth the hosts padded their lead with a pair, and KC answered with a lone tally in the ninth. But it wasn't enough, as the Louisville Colonels nailed down the victory and clinched the American Association pennant in the process, the Brewers splitting their doubleheader in Columbus. It was an unusual contest, the Blues out-hitting the Colonels 11-4. But things were going Louisville's way the past two weeks and this game was no exception. Former Colonel hurler Patsy Flaherty the unlikely loser in this one.

At Neil Park, ColumbusGame 1Milwaukee Brewers.....6Columbus Senators.....0Milwaukee native Lou Manske shut down the hosts on four hits while the Brewers ganged up on Rube Geyer with five runs in the third inning. The victory was Milwaukee's first of the 1909 campaign in Columbus.

Game 2Columbus Senators.....4Milwaukee Brewers.....3The Brewers needed this game to stay in contention for the pennant, but the Senators pulled out a win with a two-out run in the ninth, dashing Milwaukee's hopes for their first American Association pennant. Stoney McGlynn, the iron man of the Milwaukee mound corps, was the loser, getting little support as the Brewers had only two hits; they took advantage of Columbus' five errors in scoring three runs to tie the game in the fourth. Clyde Goodwin brought home the win in the Senators' spoiler role, not only by pitching well, but by scoring the winning run. Sporting Life: "Goodwin beat McGlynn in the second game, scoring the winning run himself in the ninth on a lucky single and Josh Clarke's hit to the fence. Milwaukee got its three runs without the aid of a hit."

At Swayne Field, ToledoGame 1Toledo Mud Hens.....7Minneapolis Millers.....2Dan McSurdy the winner, Tom Hughes the loser. The hosts put up four runs in the second to seal their advantage.

Game 2Toledo Mud Hens.....6Minneapolis Millers.....2 (five innings)By dropping both games of the twin-bill the Millers took themselves out of contention and allowed Louisville to clinch. Toledo scored in each of the four innings they took their at-bats off Roy Patterson. Ray Hancock the winning hurler for the Hens.

By clinching the pennant, Louisville would have their first league championship in the American Association. And that's your update for Saturday, Sept. 25, 1909, one hundred years ago today! More to follow.....stay tuned!

The American Association Almanac

This site is intended to document the history of the old American Association baseball league which existed in the midwest from 1902-1952. It included the Columbus Senators which became the Red Birds in 1931, the Indianapolis Indians, and the Kansas City Blues, as well as the Louisville Colonels, Milwaukee Brewers, Minneapolis Millers, St. Paul Saints and Toledo Mud Hens. The Almanac has been published on paper since 2001 and maintains a small subscriber base comprised of baseball history fans and public institutions. Please consider becoming a subscriber to this unique publication. Rates are $24/1 yr. or $42/2 yrs. Back issues are available and are described on my primary website at www.almanacfield.com. Please direct all inquiries to Rex Hamann, email: pureout@msn.com.